Their Equal Share

6.A friend is always needed

Niranjana p.o.v.

I entered the familiar park and moved directly towards the same sitting bench under the huge tree where we used to meet regularly.I spotted my best friend sitting under the tree on the bench munching her chocolate with her wandering eyes around the park.When her eyes found me she beamed at me.My foot stepped on many dried leaves, tiny dried flowers and few fresh fallen flowers shattered around the bench from the gigantic tree above.

I placed myself beside her with a huff.After few minutes of silence I started first "my parents want me to get married,there is this alliance from my dad's friend." I turned towards her."Well! do you want to get married?"she asked me blankly.

To tell about Harini she would tease, giggle and squeal with happiness if the matter was different.Though we have would be playful in topics like love and marriage,when it comes to a serious conversation we know it is not time to joke just like this moment."That is what I am confused about.I don't want to sadden my parents by saying no to them.They may not show it to me,but definitely they will worry when the alliance is a good one.And...huff you know how do I feel about marriage."

She knows better than me.There is a reason for this.When we were little younger than now exactly our schooling. Harini's elder sister was married to a man who abused her badly and both of them ended in divorce.Harini was very close to her,her sister's suffering had affected her more.

And when I came to knew about it,I visited her house where I found many scars,red swollen muscles,marks of belt on her sister.From the sight my heart gripped in fear thinking of marriage.After divorce,her sister became more reserved and scared,seeing her loving and favorite sister like that affected Harini more than me.And for me,I had noticed not only her sister but also few more failed and loveless marriages around me which only increased my barrier towards the marriage.

We both never shared this with our parents maybe by that time we were not enough mature to discuss this with our parents.But now....I really don't know how to express these thoughts to them, but I already knew that they will only try to convince me telling it's positive side avoiding the negative side.

I was grown up by hearing many Fairy-tale stories from my grandmother since I was kid,like prince comes for princess,saves her from villain,loves her,marries her and they live happily ever after.I too dreamt about my prince by living in my granny's stories.But when I wanted to know the truth,when I wanted to ask her which is true whether her stories or real life like Harini's sister,but sadly she was no more in this world to give me my answers and I didn't find any right person to get my answers.

Even then my parents are exceptional,they love each other but I also realized that not everyone will find such love.So,then I decided that stories would always be stories and don't want to get into any false hope,predicting that I would find my true love one day that too in an arranged marriage.

I am not against arranged marriage I had noticed many successful marriages like my parents but how sure it is that I too will find such a love.You may ask why don't you find a man yourself and know him,love him and marry him.I too had such thoughts at beginning,but I didn't find someone with whom I can feel deep and strong feelings.Many boys had proposed me in my college but I was never interested in them.I was attracted to few but when I witness they do something which I don't approve,all craziness would vanish away.No body had never hit me hard to fall for them strongly.

"Yes! I do know that but I would suggest you to give a try."I was dumbstruck with her reply.

"are...you serious Harini...is this you who is talking?"she gave me light smile.How on earth did she change her opinion about marriage.

"Not every marriage fails there are many successful marriages.If you are meant to be together, however far you get away you will become together again.In my sister's case they were not meant to be together.We cannot produce a clapping sound from a single hand,you have to join both your hands together to get the sound.Same was my sister's case.Trust,love,understanding,adjustment everything was only from my sister's side,that man didn't reciprocate it.He was a chauvinist.Whenever my sister talked with a man even if it was a milkman or courier boy at the doorstep,he would suspect her and abuse her.Poor girl her love for him never allowed her to oppose him.The big mistake my parents done was they didn't clearly check his background because he was some distant relative.If they had checked it,my sister would have been safe."I was listening to her with complete concentration,she never shared about her sister's life this deep.Sadness was clear on her face as the clear sky above us.

"I realized it recently,by the time all the chaos happened in my sister's life I was a kid and was not mature enough to think about the feelings.All I knew by that time was that marriage was the only reason for my sister's condition.If she didn't marry she would have been laughing and happily playing with me.Marriage was the only reason for her tears and pain.But all my view point changed when my sister talked with me last year.When I expressed my hate towards marriage,she was the one who told me that she and her ex-husband were never meant to be together.Because she had found a man who loves her as she is,who reciprocates the feelings more stronger than hers,who had broken her walls,who treats her like his queen,and accepted her past and returned me my old sister back to me.Soon she is going to get married to her love.My family is back again like before,all our worries about my sister had washed away now."by now tears were flowing down her cheeks but those are not sad ones but happy tears for her sister that she is back in a happy life again after all her miseries.

Not able to control myself I hugged her,she hugged me back weeping on my shoulder."shh...don't cry now everything is alright."I whispered in her ear.She nodded her head and moved away from me by wiping her tears.

"I think you should give a chance,it is not like you have any boyfriend to refuse this marriage.Maybe he would be the person who is destined for you.Put your effort in this,do your part well.If we want love then we should also be ready to give our love."I chuckled at her.She raised an eyebrow like 'what is there to laugh'.I shook my head "I didn't expect that my friend will suddenly turn into a philosopher that too in love."I tried to suppress my laugh.

"Unlike others I didn't hear any fairy tale stories and didn't dream about a man kissing me" she said with wicked glint in her eyes.My eyes were wide open."You ...."I tried to attack her but she escaped knowing my intentions and I chased her all around the park.

We chased,giggled and enjoyed ourselves like little kids.When I reached home I was clear with my decision and I knew what to do.